University of Minnesota Athletics
Alex Goligoski Named First Team All-American
4/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
University of Minnesota junior defenseman Alex Goligoski (Grand Rapids, Minn.) has been named a RBK Division I All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). The 2006-07 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, Goligoski earned West First Team honors. The RBK All-American Teams are sponsored by RBK Hockey and chosen by members of the AHCA. With this honor, Goligoski will join a select group of Golden Gophers on the murals in Mariucci Arena.
Goligoski earned his first career All-America honor and became the 36th player in Golden Gopher hockey history to be named a First Team All-American. He follows Ryan Potulny in 2005-06 and becomes the first Minnesota defenseman to earn first team honors since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
Last month, Goligoski became Minnesota’s first WCHA Defensive Player of the Year since Jordan Leopold won the award in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Goligoski also earned All-WCHA First Team honors a season after being named to the All-WCHA Second Team and two years removed from his appearance on the WCHA All-Rookie Team. An assistant captain, Goligoski compiled totals of 9-30--39 to rank tied for first in the WCHA in defenseman points and points per game (0.89). His 39 points currently rank second in the nation among blueliners. Goligoski owned a team fourth-best nine multi-point games and ranked tied for first on the team with a plus/minus rating of +24. He had a point in 26 of 44 games this past season and had four three-point games on the year. A two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week in 2006-07, Goligoski became the 48th Golden Gopher to earn All-WCHA First Team honors and the first defenseman since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
Three of the six players on the West First Team are from the WCHA – one from Minnesota and two from North Dakota. Goligoski was also named a First Team All-American by InsideCollegeHockey.com and was selected to the All-USCHO.com First Team.
2006-07 RBK Division I All-America Teams (chosen by members of the AHCA)
West First Team
F – Ryan Duncan, So., North Dakota (Calgary, Alb.)
F – T.J. Hensick, Sr., Michigan (Howell, Mich.) @
F – Jonathan Toews, So., North Dakota (Winnipeg, Man.)
D – Alex Goligoski, Jr., Minnesota (Grand Rapids, Minn.)
D – Jack Johnson, So., Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
G – David Brown ,Sr., Notre Dame (Stony Creek, Ont.)
West Second Team
F – Nathan Davis, Jr., Miami (Rocky River, Ohio)
F – Scott Parse, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha (Portage, Mich.) #
F – Mike Santorelli, Jr., Northern Michigan (Burnaby, B.C.)
D – Taylor Chorney, So., North Dakota (Hastings, Minn.)
D – Matt Hunwick, Sr., Michigan (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
G – Bobby Goepfert, Jr., St. Cloud State (Kings Park, N.Y.) *
East First Team
F – Brian Boyle, Sr., Boston College (Hingham, Mass.) *
F – David Jones, Jr., Dartmouth (North Vancouver, B.C.)
F – Michel Léveillé, Sr., Maine (Levis, Que.)
D – Drew Bagnall, Sr., St. Lawrence (Oakbank, Man.)
D – Reid Cashman, Sr., Quinnipiac (Red Wing, Minn.) *
G – John Curry, Jr., Boston University (Shorewood, Minn.) *
East Second Team
F – Nick Dodge, Jr., Clarkson (Oakville, Ont.)
F – Eric Ehn, Jr., Air Force (Dexter, Mich.)
F – Trevor Smith, So., New Hampshire (North Vancouver, B.C.)
D – Matt Gilroy, So., Boston University (North Bellemore, N.Y.)
D – Sean Sullivan, Sr., Boston University (Braintree, Mass.)
G – Jon Quick, So., Massachusetts (Hamden, Ct.)
# First Team in 2005-06
* Second Team in 2005-06
@ First Team in 2004-05
Goligoski earned his first career All-America honor and became the 36th player in Golden Gopher hockey history to be named a First Team All-American. He follows Ryan Potulny in 2005-06 and becomes the first Minnesota defenseman to earn first team honors since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
Last month, Goligoski became Minnesota’s first WCHA Defensive Player of the Year since Jordan Leopold won the award in 2000-01 and 2001-02. Goligoski also earned All-WCHA First Team honors a season after being named to the All-WCHA Second Team and two years removed from his appearance on the WCHA All-Rookie Team. An assistant captain, Goligoski compiled totals of 9-30--39 to rank tied for first in the WCHA in defenseman points and points per game (0.89). His 39 points currently rank second in the nation among blueliners. Goligoski owned a team fourth-best nine multi-point games and ranked tied for first on the team with a plus/minus rating of +24. He had a point in 26 of 44 games this past season and had four three-point games on the year. A two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week in 2006-07, Goligoski became the 48th Golden Gopher to earn All-WCHA First Team honors and the first defenseman since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
Three of the six players on the West First Team are from the WCHA – one from Minnesota and two from North Dakota. Goligoski was also named a First Team All-American by InsideCollegeHockey.com and was selected to the All-USCHO.com First Team.
2006-07 RBK Division I All-America Teams (chosen by members of the AHCA)
West First Team
F – Ryan Duncan, So., North Dakota (Calgary, Alb.)
F – T.J. Hensick, Sr., Michigan (Howell, Mich.) @
F – Jonathan Toews, So., North Dakota (Winnipeg, Man.)
D – Alex Goligoski, Jr., Minnesota (Grand Rapids, Minn.)
D – Jack Johnson, So., Michigan (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
G – David Brown ,Sr., Notre Dame (Stony Creek, Ont.)
West Second Team
F – Nathan Davis, Jr., Miami (Rocky River, Ohio)
F – Scott Parse, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha (Portage, Mich.) #
F – Mike Santorelli, Jr., Northern Michigan (Burnaby, B.C.)
D – Taylor Chorney, So., North Dakota (Hastings, Minn.)
D – Matt Hunwick, Sr., Michigan (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
G – Bobby Goepfert, Jr., St. Cloud State (Kings Park, N.Y.) *
East First Team
F – Brian Boyle, Sr., Boston College (Hingham, Mass.) *
F – David Jones, Jr., Dartmouth (North Vancouver, B.C.)
F – Michel Léveillé, Sr., Maine (Levis, Que.)
D – Drew Bagnall, Sr., St. Lawrence (Oakbank, Man.)
D – Reid Cashman, Sr., Quinnipiac (Red Wing, Minn.) *
G – John Curry, Jr., Boston University (Shorewood, Minn.) *
East Second Team
F – Nick Dodge, Jr., Clarkson (Oakville, Ont.)
F – Eric Ehn, Jr., Air Force (Dexter, Mich.)
F – Trevor Smith, So., New Hampshire (North Vancouver, B.C.)
D – Matt Gilroy, So., Boston University (North Bellemore, N.Y.)
D – Sean Sullivan, Sr., Boston University (Braintree, Mass.)
G – Jon Quick, So., Massachusetts (Hamden, Ct.)
# First Team in 2005-06
* Second Team in 2005-06
@ First Team in 2004-05
Players Mentioned
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